Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-06-10
MOUND BUILDERS OR WHO!
Interesting Discoveries in otsego coun.

Interesting Discoveries in Otsego Coun.
ty, N. yam Ancient Village Site.
A very remarkable discovery was brough5
to light short time ago upon the well known
Slade flats at the junction of the Charlotte
with the Susquehanna, on the south side Of
the latter stream, at point some two miles.
above this village. During the recent high
water broad current was in some way di-
verified from the main channel across bench
of alluvial land rising two or three feet above
the general level of the neighboring bank.
The field having been plowed last fall and the
soil to the depth Of two feet or more consist
ing mainly of fine alluvium, gully two or
three rods wide and as many feet deep, to tbs
clay subsoil, was cut clear across the field for
some rods--to a "binnacle" or overflow put
ting out from the main stream at some dis
lance below. The current does not appear to
have been very swift, and in consequence OBJ &
jects of some weight contained in the SOL
were left behind as the latter filtered away.
For ten days or a fortnight the plowed seo-
ton was under water. When the flood sub
sided Mr.. Slade and his son paid a visit to the
place to ascertain the extent of the damage,
when what was their surprise to note in the
bottom of the new made channel many fraf,
ments of rude pottery mingled with flint
oiIOW otJCdl pOiltbo ttflu
MAINS, They gathered many, and the news
of the discovery spreading, the spot has since
been visited by several persons. The site laid
bare by the flood is unquestionably that of asl
aboriginal village. Altogether some 2,0ao
fragments of pottery have been taken FROM
few square rods of surface exposed, to
gether with 100 spear and arrow points
many of them of unusual form-several flint
drills, as many sharpening stones, two small
granite axes, numerous "sinkers," etc. Sew
eral ancient fireplaces, of river cobbles, beds
ded together, were disclosed, from one of
which peck of charcoal fragments was eS-
humed. The pottery, several pieces OF which
show an exterior surface of three or follr
square inches, is both plain and ornamenteds
the latter in most intricate design Cns
fragment shows a human face, but strailsat
lines varlousiy coIliuined ant. I5.iit-
ured patterns are the prevailing type. Rims
and edges, being the thickest and least periahs
able portions abound in the collections made.-
The plain pottery is remarkably hard ard
well preserved, and in both plain and or1las
mented the inside surface is in most cases@pf
black color, in strong contrast to the BRICK
red or chocolate hue of the exterior.
The top soil in the neighborhood aboundsaa
Indian relics, arrow and spear heads, "harn
mer Stones" and the like, but it contains US
sign of this pottery. Tradition runs .tbar
there was an Indian village in the locality
But it might well have existed two feet abtvs
the level laid bare by the flood For there is
nothing to prove that the soil had before
been disturbed for ages. If indeed this be
the site of the Indan village, then is it to be
= said that there can hardly exist that differ
enes he s;ess The Indians and the mgster29s
mound builders which haAs M ssy
supposed, for the pottery o6tai SIS
Sade flats is precisely the Same = sssesfy
exhumed in western mounds n ssslssA
1t may be remarked in connec Ssg 4 this
subject that so called 'sIndiarl Is y ex
lists on Walling's Island not far below this an
Gent village site; that there is another near
the mouth of the Otsego creek, athird at sid
ney and a fourth in the Unadilla valley -
Oneonta Herald